Methods to reduce your utility costs at home

Well, we’re all reeling from our utility bills. We are all aware of the rising costs of utilities. So, what can you do to cut energy/utility consumption and costs?

Obviously, the best way to cut your utility bill is to go with a non-utility company source of energy. Solar power or Wind power can be used to warm your house, it is known that geothermal can be used to cool and heat the home. While these are great choices, there are a few simple steps you can take to cut that monstrous utility bill.

Vent Covers – In most homes, there are rooms that rarely get used. A very simple and very cheap way to cut your heating costs is to isolate those rooms from the rest of your home. To do this, you should close the vents in the room. The vents, however, rarely close well. To make the strategy effective, you should buy vent covers and place them over the vents. The covers are a form of plastic and keep heat from coming out of the vents. Next, close the door to the room in question and leave it. By using this strategy, you can effectively make your home smaller by excluding the square footage that has to be heated. The smaller the area, the less energy you will use and save money to heat the home. (for safety reasons use carbon monoxide detectors..

Windows – Windows are the single biggest energy wasters in your home. Your windows must seal tightly. If they don’t, heat will escape out of them causing your heater to fire up over and over. If you make sure your window fit tightly into the frame when closed, you can significant cut the utility bill. It sounds like a small thing, but it really ads up. (it also reduces wind and increases comfort level). During the summer shade you windows with landscaping or owning. (window shades or curtains)

Insulation – proper insulation in your attic and attic fans. For sound insulation use wool insulation.

Programmable Thermostat – Heating your home accounts for fifty percent of your utility bill. While a warm home is necessary for basic living in the winter, the home doesn’t need to be heated all of the time. If there are periods during the day where nobody is home because of work or school, a programmable thermostat can be used to slash your heating costs. Simply program the thermostat to turn off during the relevant time and turn back on before anyone gets home. Cutting four to eight hours off of your heating needs each day will add up quickly on your utility bill, you can also lower the temperature a few degrees. Adding a humidifier can also increase the comfort level and save energy during the winter heating season.

Furnace filter should be checked and changed regularly. Reduce drafts and insulate your air ducts. Wrap your hot water heater to maintain the heat. Insulate your attic and install attic fan(s). Utilize energy efficient light bulbs indoor and outdoor (CFL/LED). Shut off lights and appliances when not in use. Use photocell to turn on and off outdoor lighting. Utilize rebates and tax credits minimize the costs of implementing energy saving methods and supplies/equipment.

During Summer in geographical areas where temperature at night drops bellow 65 degrees, open windows and bring in fresh air with a fan (which is healthier) and shut down the Air conditioning system. (add ceiling fans, install ERV –Energy Recovery Vetilation)

Utilize water saver aerators for you faucets and shower, repair all leaky faucets and toilets, and reduce toilet tank capacity.

Review your telecom/cellphone/internet/cable bill quarterly and modify the service according to your current requirements and available programs.

If your utility bills are completely out of control, there is something fundamentally wrong with your home. You need to go ahead and get an Energy Audit. An auditor will come out and inspect your home. They can then identify the problem, what should be done and provide other tips and methods to slash your bill. Depending on how bad your situation is, an energy audit can cut your utility bill by 50 percent or more and utility bill audit may get you a refund.

Power costs are high and expected to continue to increase for the foreseeable future. Take proper steps to cut your utility bill now and you will reap the benefits for years.

As a homeowner you are faced with only 3 options:

1. Continue to open your wallet and let the utility companies take whatever they want in ever increasing amounts forever!
As the years go by you'll have nothing to show for your money except cancelled checks.

2. Reduce your energy usage by reducing your standard of
living - sweat when it's hot, wear extra clothing and shiver
when it's cold.

3. Cut your energy consumption for Air Conditioning and Heating dramatically by making your home energy efficient. This will increase your home's resale value, and make it quieter and more comfortable.

Reallocate some of the money you saved which you would have normally paid to the power company to cover the cost of making your home energy efficient. (utilizing rebates and tax credits)

The object is to cut your home energy consumption for heating and cooling in half. To do this the transfer of heat between the outside and inside of your home must be reduced to a minimum by effectively insulating the envelope of the home. If the Air Conditioning/Heating system doesn't continuously have to come on to maintain the desired temperature inside your home, your electric and gas bill will drop dramatically. It's that simple.

Under insulated attic space, would be brought up to today's energy efficiency standards, air infiltration rates on exterior doors would be reduced with weather stripping, inaccurate analog thermostats would be replaced with accurate programmable digital thermostats, and poorly insulated single pane windows/doors with aluminum or wood frames-would be replaced with the super energy efficient windows/glass, high performance Low-E glass. Plus, suspended between the two layers of glass, microscopically thin, transparent, high tech membrane that controls the solar energy in the summer that would normally enter your home. During the winter, the heat is reflected back inside the home.

Because of the extreme high energy efficiency level the Window obtains, the factory issues each Homeowner a written "Fuel Savings Pledge" which guarantees over 40 percent MINIMUM reduction in energy consumption for cooling and heating.

The vast majority of the money a homeowner pays on a utility bill is for cooling and heating. The savings generated by cutting energy consumption for heating and cooling in half (combined with Rebates and tax saving offers) can more than cover the cost of the retrofit.

Making your home more energy efficient by properly insulating your attic, reducing air infiltration rates, accurately managing your Air Conditioning and Heating system, and installing the high-tech, super insulating windows with Specialized Glass, your family and your home can get more - much more while your energy/utility provider gets less.

Why would I need an energy-recovery ventilator in my home?

As houses become more and more airtight, it will become more and more common to see energy-recovery ventilators in homes. Air-tightness follows from the use of improved building practices and products, like air barriers, better seals on windows and doors, panelized construction, air-sealing procedures, and sealed-combustion furnaces and water heaters.

People like the benefits of air-tightness in their homes, including improved energy efficiency, fewer uncomfortable drafts, and the exclusion of noise and dust from the outside. What is lost, however, is the natural infiltration that used to carry away the indoor pollutants: carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, cool-weather moisture, cooking odors, and other gases coming from building materials and cleaning compounds.

In old houses, natural infiltration was so effective in removing these pollutants that often, more water was carried away than was generated in the home by the breathing, washing, and cooking of the occupants (thus the need for additional humidification in older homes). Nowadays, that water isn't removed from the new, tighter houses, unless a ventilation system is in use, so windows can be damaged by the moisture build-up. With "run-away humidity" insulation loses its effectiveness, and in severe cases, structural damage can occur.

Even though we do not know everything about pollutants in homes yet, there is real concern. Formaldehyde originating in various board products and insulations caused significant problems in the building products industry. Changes in product formulations to try and reduce the amount of formaldehyde because of possible health concerns have only been partially successful. There are other pollutants that may be of concern. A common one is carbon dioxide, which in excess concentrations can cause lethargy and lack of alertness. We all generate carbon dioxide by breathing, but it can be very effectively controlled by air-to-air heat exchangers. A ventilation system provides better indoor air quality.

Ways to save water at home

On my quest to live a "greener", more sustainable life I have discovered many simple ways to conserve and even reuse water. When you hear the term water conservation most people will think of turning the faucet off while brushing teeth, shortening shower lengths and so on. There are a ton of small things you can do to conserve water around the house but I believe that the best way to save water at home is to not only conserve but to reuse it whenever possible! My absolute favorite way to reuse water is by rainwater harvesting.

Rainwater harvesting is a great way to water a garden without spending a dime! Rainwater harvesting is simply catching and storing the already present rain/ snowfall for use later. Just think of all the rain and snow that falls each year, it is free and naturally present. If you can collect and reserve this water for later use you can water you lawn or garden for FREE virtually all year! There are a number of ways to collect rain/ snow. I use a rainwater barrel that attaches to my gutter. I got my own rainwater-harvesting barrel from: http://www.rain-barrel.net/rainwater-tank.html

Another way to reuse water is by utilizing your homes "gray water" for gardening or watering the lawn. Grey water is simply all the water that has been used in the home (except for water from toilets) and is left over. There are simple pluming changes that can be made to allow your gray water to run off into a garden or even an irrigation system. The simplest way to get gray water for other uses is from your washing machine. Just unhook the "outbound" hose and place it wherever you need to water.

Some other around the house ways to save or reduce water are:
1. Fill a 2 liter soda bottle with sand and place it in your toilet tank This will reduce the amount of water it takes to fill the toilet tank thus reducing the amount of water used when you flush.
2. Buy a water-saving showerhead or low-flow faucet.
3. Buy or make a siphon hose so that you can suck up water from the sink, bath or even the fish tank and use it for watering plants.
4. Alter the way you use water.
- Things like showering faster or turning the water off when you shampoo your hair will reduce water.
- Take a bath instead of showering and don't fill the tub all the way.
- Don't run the water while you brush your teeth or wash your face.
- Only run the dishwasher or washing machine when you have a full load.
5. Use mulch in your garden and under your trees. Mulch will keep your soils moist and will reduce the number of times you need to water.
6. Throw those fruit and vegetable wastes into a compost pile instead of the garbage disposal. Compost is great for your garden and garbage disposals use lots of water to grind and dispose of unwanted kitchen wastes.
7. Direct your downspouts or gutters to run off into your garden or trees, this will reduce the number of times your need to water.

There are a number of ways, large and small, to conserve and reuse precious water. I have only listed a few of the many ways that I think will benefit you. For more information on water conservation you can visit one of these informative sites:
http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/
http://www.h2ouse.net/
http://www.h2ouse.net/

SAVE WATER, MONEY, ENERGY NOW!

TOP 5 ACTIONS

With so many ways to save water, here are the highlights for 5 key actions to help you capture the water savings around your home. Click on the "Learn more" to find out additional information for each action. Remember, every drop counts!

1. Stop Those Leaks!
Check your indoor water using appliances and devices for leaks. Check out Leak Detection and Repair.

Many silent leaks allow water and your money to go down the drain. To help detect unseen leaks go to Read Your Meter. Studies have shown homes can waste more than 10% due leaking, which costs both you and the environment.

Another large water waster can be leaks in your irrigation system. Fix irrigation system leaks quickly and check for water in the gutters or mud puddles. Inspect your sprinklers and drip sprayers regularly for leaks during the daytime since the optimal time to water is in the nighttime hours when you cannot observe leaks. If you have an older irrigation system, over 50% and even more than 75% of the water can be lost to leaks. Learn more about irrigation systems...

2. Replace your old Toilet, the largest water user inside your home.
If your home was built before 1992 and the toilet has never been replaced, then it is very likely that you do not have a water efficient 1.6 gallon per flush toilet. You can check the date stamp inside the toilet by lifting the lid and looking at the back of the toilet at the manufacturer's imprint of the make, model and date of manufacture. Learn more about toilets...

3. Replace your Clothes Washer, the second largest water user in your home.
Energy Star™ rated washers that also have a Water Factor at or lower than 9.5, use 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load. This saves you money on both your water and energy bills. There is a current qualifying products listing of water efficient clothes washer models maintained by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency. Learn more about clothes washers...

4. Plant the Right Plants with Proper Landscape Design & Irrigation
Whether you are putting in a new landscape or slowly changing the current landscaping at your home, select plants that are appropriate for your local climate conditions. Having yard with 100% lawn turf area in a dry desert climate uses significant amounts of water. Also consider the trend towards Xeriscape™ and a more natural landscape or wildscape. Learn more about landscaping...

5. Water Only What Your Plants Need
Most water is wasted in your garden by watering when you plants do not need the water or by not maintaining the irrigation system. Be attentive if you are manual watering by setting your oven timer or some other reminder to move the water promptly. Make sure your irrigation controller has a rain shutoff device and that it's appropriately scheduled. Most water is wasted in months prior to or just after the rainy season when intermittent rains occur. You can also consider installing a weather adjusting ET irrigation controller (see description in glossary) that automatically saves water by not watering when the plants don't need the water, check with your local water provider to inquire if ET controllers work in your area. Learn more about using the features that you have in your garage for efficient watering like your hose and irrigation controller timer...

Be sure to call your local water provider for more information and potential incentives.

On this web site are many book and web site resources available to help research choices for water saving home appliances and landscaping choices. Check out the Library, Bookstore and Links web pages under Resources for more information.

Enjoy looking through the rest of the water saver web site. For all the ways to save, start with the whole home tour. GO NOW!